113. Notes of Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and Secretary of Defense Laird1 2
[Omitted here is discussion unrelated to seabeds.]
K said the President asked about the seabeds thing and K wanted to know how strong Laird felt about the 3 vs 12-mile issue. Laird thought the 12-mile was fine if we could have some language put in then about the accessibility of the straits. This is a matter than can’t be worked out later. The Russians won’t object to that stance in the treaty. K asked if he could get State to go along with that, would it be o.k. Laird indicated he talked to Rogers and they both agreed. Jerry Smith came in really too late on this and said we can’t even raise the question. We told Jerry that the Russians didn’t object.
[Omitted here is discussion unrelated to seabeds.]
- Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 360, Telephone Conversations, Chronological File, 1–18 September 1969. No classification marking.↩
- Laird withdrew his objections to the 12 mile line providing there was some kind of provision preserving issues of accessibility.↩